Here's why: The law 1 states that all foods and beverages containing any Artemisia species must be "thujone-free". Absinthe is a high-proof herbal liquor that was illegal in the United States and in much of Europe for decades but is now making a comeback. So why wormwood? So why does wormwood get singled out? Absinthe is illegal in the US. Distilled wormwood is used to make absinthe (a beverage). Because wormwood is a bittering agent, it worked well as a hop substitute for beer. El_Cadejo ( 34524 ) “Great Answer” ( 0 ) Flag as… ¶ Wormwood was used in beer production. Going back millennia, the herbal plant wormwood has been used for medicinal purposes to combat back pain, menstrual pain, venereal disease, anaemia and jaundice. Of course, wormwood is the primary ingredient in absinthe: absinthe without wormwood is like turkey stuffing without sage. However, according to the statute, "thujone-free" does not literally mean "zero thujone." 1. Wormwood is an herb that has been historically used in absinthe and long thought to cause hallucinations. Interestingly, sage contains thujone as well, but is not banned by the FDA. The loophole that exists for thujone is that wormwood is the only ingredient regulated for its thujone content, so while thujone present in wormwood may be considered illegal, another substance, such as sage oil, that does contain thujone, would not be restricted. So, I thought I'd give you all the truth behind the marketing-speak. It is legal to own but illegal to sell in a bar or liqueur store in the US. Selimotic and Hrabowsky were drawn, in part, to its unusual past. In order to determine thujone content, an official method for thujone analysis was prescribed. There are some other examples of things legal to have, but illegal to buy, think moonshine or homegrown tobacco. as far as why its illegal, large quantities of wormwood are considered poisonous. The anise-flavored spirit derived from the herb Artemisia absinthium, also called wormwood, was first distilled in Switzerland but didn't become popular until the French got hold of … The drink, which originated in Switzerland, is made from the flowers and leaves of the herb Artemisia absinthium, better known as wormwood.Because of its unusual green color (derived from the chlorophyll of the macerated leaves), absinthe became known … If a substance is illegal to buy, but legal to have, it is generally to prevent there from being a market in order to control available supply. Back in the Middle Ages, “purl,” or wormwood ale, was a variation on beer that incorporated wormwood instead of hops for the bitter bite. This article explains everything you need to know about wormwood… “It underwent a 100-year ban for misleadingly being known as a hallucinogen,” says Selimotic. 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